Clontarf with victory over Judes and place in Quarter-Finals

Image Courtesy Michael Moran

CLONTARF 1-15

 ST JUDE’S 1-11

Luke O’Boyle struck a memorable second half goal at O’Toole Park on Saturday afternoon as Clontarf booked their spot in the Go-Ahead Ireland Senior 1 Football Championship quarter-finals with an impressive win over St Jude’s.

Despite suffering consecutive defeats to Kilmacud Crokes and St Sylvester’s last month, Clontarf came into this contest with a strong chance of making it into the knockout rounds of Dublin’s top-tier football competition. They held a slender lead moving towards the 40-minute mark against their Wellington Lane counterparts, before a stunning finish from O’Boyle gave them significant breathing space in this tantalising Group 4 clash.

A Kevin Lahiff goal offered some fresh impetus to the Jude’s challenge in the final-quarter, but even though Leitrim native Darragh Rooney finished the action with an excellent haul of 0-8, the southsiders fell short in their own quest to make it into the knockout phase of the Senior 1 championship.

 While it was an initially cagey start to the proceedings from both teams, Clontarf attacker Eoin Doherty eventually got the ball rolling with a superb two-pointer in the fifth minute. Unsurprisingly, former Dublin star Jack McCaffrey was offering plenty of energy around the middle-third for ‘Tarf and he kick-started a move moments later that ended with his half-back partner Mattias Mac Donnacha grabbing a fine point from play.

 St Jude’s were hoping that Rooney’s maiden score of the tie on seven minutes would help them to settle into a familiar attacking rhythm, but this effort was almost immediately cancelled out by Senan Ryan at the opposite end of the pitch.

 The sin-binning of Eoghan Costello in the 11th minute also left Jude’s hamstrung for an extended period and Clontarf seized upon their temporary numerical advantage by registering back-to-back points through the boots of Charlie Meehan and O’Boyle.

 Jude’s wing-back Sean Kirwan and Clontarf's Kieron McKeon also traded points in advance of Costello’s return, but his side finally enjoyed a purple patch when they were restored to their full compliment of 15 players.

 After the dependable Rooney swung over a brace of fine efforts – one from play and one from a free – Simon Murphy also found the target to ensure Clontarf’s cushion stood at just two points (0-7 to 0-5) during the interval.

 This left matters delicately poised heading into the second half at the Crumlin venue with both sides feeling they had an opportunity to claim a precious round three victory.

 Although Clontarf drew first blood on the resumption with a fisted point from Ryan, Jude’s cut the gap to the bare minimum with unanswered scores from Costello and Rooney (free). Swapped place-ball scores by Doherty and Rooney meant there was still just a single point separating the teams heading into the final 20 minutes, but it was at this juncture that Clontarf discovered an extra gear.

 A lively presence throughout the course of the contest, O’Boyle found himself in space close to the Jude’s goal off a patient attack and he proceeded to unleash an unstoppable strike into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

 This supplied Clontarf with a major confidence boost and their lead was subsequently increased to six points when Ryan and McKeon both found the range in clinical style.

 However, ‘Tarf netminder Brian Dufficy had come to the aid of his side with a close-range save from Kevin Lahiff not long after O’Boyle had raised a green flag and there was little he could do to prevent the same player from eventually firing home at the end of a 50th minute attack.

 This suddenly ramped up the pressure on Clontarf, but the northsiders ruthlessly reinforced their authority with four points on the bounce by Horkan (three) and McKeon. In addition to losing the likes of Alex Hassett and Ciaran Fitzpatrick to injuries, Jude’s finished the game with 14 players when substitute Sean Kavanagh was issued with a second yellow card on 55 minutes.

 Nevertheless, with eight-time All-Ireland SFC winner Kevin McManamon introduced in the closing moments, they battled admirably for a way back into the reckoning. The hard-working Rooney kicked three points without reply (including a two-pointed free) as the final whistle approached, but despite their best efforts, they couldn’t deny Clontarf a deserved triumph in the end.

 Scorers – Clontarf: L O’Boyle 1-1, S Ryan, K McKeon 0-3 each, S Horkan 0-3 (2F), E Doherty 0-3 (1 2P, 1F), M Mac Donnacha, C Meehan 0-1 each. St Jude’s: D Rooney 0-8 (4F, 1 2PF), K Lahiff 1-0, S Kirwan, E Costello, S Murphy 0-1 each.

 Clontarf: B Dufficy; L Howley, C Ahearne, D Devilly; A Byrne, M Mac Donnacha, J McCaffrey; N Doran, L Cunningham; C Meehan, S Horkan, S Ryan; L O’Boyle, E Doherty, K McKeon. Subs: D Fagan for Doherty (38), M McMahon for Byrne (45), D Egan for Meehan (58), J Hanley for Horkan (61), F McCarrick for Ryan (64).

 St Jude’s: L Molloy; A Hassett, C Fitzpatrick, C McLoughlin; S Kirwan, S King, T Lahiff; E Costello, K Doherty; S Murphy, K Lahiff, D Kavanagh; D Sheehy, E Kenny, D Rooney. Subs: R Wallace for McLoughlin (29), S Kavanagh for Fitzpatrick (30+2), A McGennis for Sheehy (47), S Noone for Hassett (51), K McManamon for Murphy (58).

Referee: C McKeown (St Anne’s).